DOWN AT THE CLUB.('77) ........ Chris Savory.
Having had an article on St.Ives and the surrounding area here's a bit more from the Bedford area. First something on the Addison Centre & Kempston Rovers from Tony Warot.
The soul disco is usually held on a Thursday night at the Addison Centre, or at the Kempston Rovers Social Club on alternate Thursdays. The two guys who own the equipment are Frank Criscudo and Danny Duggen and they play mostly new releases and Mecca sounds, whilst St.Ives d.j. Hammie, Stuart Green and myself play oldies and top sounds.
The Addison Centre is about half the size of St.Ives recreation centre and it has a very large dance floor to allow the dancers to perform their acrobatics etc. The Kempston Rovers Club belongs to a local football club and it is very pleasant inside with ample dancing space, moderately priced drinks and admission to either venue is onlt 60p. There was talk of an All-Nighter at the Addison but the committee had talks with the law and the plans have been shelved.
The Thursday nights started up in the summer of '76 and they have slowly built up a steady following of Northern soul fans from surrounding towns such as St.Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Northampton etc. Popular sounds at the moment seem to be :-
Bernie Williams - Ever again
Florence Devore - Kiss me now
Herbert Hunter - I was born to love you
Yvonne Baker - You didn't say a word
Attendance usually approximate at around 100 which isn't bad concidering that Bedford is in the south, but since St.Ives popularity boom, the interest of northern soul in the south is incredible, which is the disco's factor for success. If you're around Bedford on a Thursday do drop in, but one drawback - the Addison has no licenced bar, but if it's soul you want then it's soul you'll get.
If you are in the Bedford area any time I (Chris) can recommend HMV of 5 Silver Street for a visit. They have a great range of soul titles in stock and Alan Swires is the soul man there. Top sellers in the shop at the moment: Deniece Williams which is outselling everything; Lee Roye; David & Giants; all Neil Rushton's newies; New York Port Authority; People's Choice; T.Connection; Cameo; John Davis and Silvetti.
A PAGE FROM "HOT BUTTERED SOUL" AUG. '77.
See how the Beford Scene has returned to The Rovers (even if it is about half mile from the old Rovers of years gone by)! WRITE-UP CARE OF MR.WAROT.
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